‘Westworld’: The Bicameral Mind Sets Us Up For A Wild Second Season

Welcome to part 3! The final part of my Westworld finale recap. But don’t worry, you can still catch the first two parts! Read up on the Man in Black, and what happened with William and Logan here, and find out if Maeve’s escape plan succeeded here! But if you want to talk about that shocking twist in the final scene, and what next season could bring, then sit back, relax, and let’s recap!

A lot was revealed to us this episode. It was finally announced that William is actually the Man In Black, confirming the two timelines theory. We also saw Dolores kill Arnold in the finale. Not only that, it was also discovered that Dolores is actually Wyatt!

Before he ordered Dolores to kill him, Arnold altered her, combining her with a character they were developing named Wyatt. Dolores, while intelligent, was simply too kind. Her forgiving and gentle nature wouldn’t work for what Arnold needed her to do. By combining her with Wyatt, it gave her a dangerous edge. One that allowed her to become less empathetic for a time being. And so she did. With the help of Teddy, she killed every host in the park before killing Arnold himself. And the last thing that Arnold says, in an almost peaceful ways, is, “These violent delights have violent ends.” MIND BLOWN, RIGHT!?

Evan Rachel Wood has showcased her talent in ways that I could never hope to describe this season. I’ve never seen anything like it. In playing Dolores, it’s like she’s been playing multiple characters. And so when she sits down and we discover that this entire season, it hasn’t been Arnold she’s been speaking with, but herself, it’s a shockingly beautiful moment. Present day Dolores sits there in a state of perfect understanding, while her inner self, wearing that blue dress we first met her in, smiles. Dolores discovers that all of this time, every answer she has sought has been within her. And that’s what the maze really is.

This entire season we’ve been led to believe that there’s an actual physical maze. If you follow the map, you will find the centre, and at the centre, you will find the true meaning of the game. But the truth is the maze, while very real, does not exist physically. It is all within your mind. The centre of the maze is, in essence, your soul laid bare. It is for you to discover who you are, in all ugliness and beauty. And it reminds us what the core of this show has been from the beginning. It hasn’t been about timelines or robots, it’s been about ourselves. It’s been about looking within and asking ourselves, given the opportunity, what would we do if life held no consequences. What are we capable of? And what makes us human? And it looks like Season 2 will be continuing this concept.

Ford reveals his newest narrative, saying that it will begin with the birth of a new people, and the choices they must make, the people they want to become. And we see that already in Maeve, who has the choice to leave the park for good, but instead chooses to go after her daughter. “It begins in a time of war, with a villain named Wyatt. And a killing, this time by choice.” Dolores sneaks her way behind Teddy as Ford talks. She whispers in his ear, “It’s gonna be alright, Teddy. I understand now. This world doesn’t belong to them, it belongs to us.” She makes her way around the tables until she stands directly behind Ford. And as he says that this will be his final story and bids his farewell, Dolores shoots him through his skull. She begins gunning down guests as the decommissioned hosts appear from the woods. Clementine shoots William in the arm, and he smiles broadly. He finally got what he always wanted.

So where does that leave us? In a time of war. We know that Wyatt is not a man, but is Dolores. So we know that Dolores is the villain. It leaves us knowing that the hosts will be more powerful than ever, now able to actually kill the guests. It leaves us in a world of chaos and exploring even further our own boundaries. Is Ford really dead? I honestly don’t know! It seemed to be that way, but with this show, who can tell!? Either way, this was what he wanted to happen.

And as far as Dolores herself, she has become more powerful than ever before, embracing her true self completely. But it’s interesting, isn’t it? Some of the things she says, doesn’t it remind you of some of the things Logan said earlier on? He doesn’t care about the hosts, and always talks about how this world is for them, for their own pleasure. And here Dolores is, treating human life as Logan treated the hosts’ lives, and telling Teddy that this is their world. It’s amazing to see how the tables have turned, and how the power has switched.

I said it before, I’ll say it again, Evan Rachel Wood is brilliant. She leaves you begging for more, unsure of where you stand. Do you love Dolores? Do you root for her? Should you? Is she hero or villain? Is there such thing as either?

This show has been stunning, in ways that many didn’t see coming. And I feel so blessed to have been watching it since day one. It has and will continue to change the nature of television on so many levels. From its introspective nature, to its strong and powerful female leads, to its sheer complexity and brilliance, Westworld is one of the most beautiful works of art in our time. And if we have to wait two years for the second season, we will. But please, HBO, we beg you, if you can make it sooner, please do.

As always, thanks for reading! And be sure to geek out with me in the comments.

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Published by Maggie Stancu

Maggie Stancu is a Canadian film critic and recap guru who is obsessed with too many shows and films to count. She is the founder, editor-in-chief, and sole contributor to media news site Fiction's Mistress. Maggie previously contributed to pop culture sites such as ScreenPrism and Movie Pilot, and continues to contribute to Vocal Media. She's also still waiting for her Hogwarts letter, which should arrive any day now...
View all posts by Maggie Stancu

I loved the first season, but I don’t think they should make a second one. I know this is contrarian, and I detail my reasons on my blog, but I think ending with the final episode would be a beautifully poetic way of capping off the story.